Monorail track



Jan. 239 195i G. c. HENDERSON MONORAIL TRACK Filed Dec. 2l, 1946 f n NE Patented Jan., 23, f1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MONORAIL TRACK George C. Henderson, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 21, 1946, Serial No. 717,632

l Y e. This invention relates to monorail tracks and particularly to certain improvements on a track disclosed by my Patent '1,811,270 granted June 23, 1931. Said patented track comprises a pair of reversely disposed U-shaped current-conducting rails, and rigid plates of insulation set into and interconnecting, and properly rspacing said rails.

It has been found that a number of highly desirable advantages are attainable by using plates of flexible resilient material such as rubber to form the insulating connections between the two rails. Such connections, by absorbing shocks and noise, achieve much quieter monorail train operation than was afforded by the patented track, Also they lend themselves to such curvature of certain track sections as is usual in any toy train track, They further materially contribute, as will be presently explained, to good electrical connections between adjoined sections of track. My improved plates are not subject to deformation by moisture as are those employed in the earlier patented track. They further permit strong permanent connections between rails and plates to be inexpensively established by vulcanization.

Another object is to provide the rails of a monorail track with flanges adding materially to the rail strength and also facilitating assembly with such rails of the insulating plates.

Another object is to install on one end of a monorail track section a pair of pins for engaging an adjoining section and to permanently secure such pins in place in an improved manner.

These and various other objects are attained by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the 4 accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationalview of a section of my improved track.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlargement ofva portion of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of a 'somewhat modified form of the track. f:

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.'

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line '1 -'l of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of a curved section of the improved track.

In these views, the reference character I designates a pair of parallel rails formed from strip sheet metal rolled or otherwise fashioned to an solaims. (CMM- 106) approximateY U cross section. *y Said yrails are spaced apart by two insulating plates 2 and 3 Abetween the rail end portions, and preferably of videntical construction. These plates are of rubber, either natural or synthetic, and are sufciently soft and flexible to be capable of considerable sound and shock absorption, while perinitting a material curvature to be imposed on said plates. The rails I straddle respectively the upper and lower margins of the plates 2 and 3 and are vulcanized to the lateral faces of the plates. As compared to the disclosure of aforesaid Patent 1,811,270 the adaptation to vul canization is an important advance, permitting in one rapid operation the rigid connection of both faces of all plates of a track section to both rails of such section. The longitudinal edge portions of the rails are curved outwardly slightly, as indicated at la, this materially reinforcing the rails and also facilitating insertion of the plates between the spaced walls of the rails. The plates are spaced from the bends of the rails I and a pair of connectors 4 of stiff wire are permanently engaged between each plate 2 and said bends, projecting beyond the adjacent rail ends to snugly fit between the plate 3 of an adjoining rail section and the rail bends thereof. The connectors 4 have their portions engaging the plate 2 knurled and vulcanized to such p1ate,'being thus secured in a deiinite projecting relation to the track section. As compared to the earlier patented construction, necessity of'bending the connector pins is eliminated and likewise necessity of notching the insulator plates. Moreover, it is feasible in one operation to vulcanize both the rails and the pins to the insulating plates. Also as compared to the earlier patented construction, a materially greater assurance of a good electrical connection through the wire elements 4 is had since the insulating plates may be proportioned to require some compression as said elements are inserted, so that both end portions of each element are pressed firmly against the corresponding rails, as best seen in Fig. 4. There are shown in dash lines at 5 and 6 upper and lower trolley wheels engaging respectively the upper and lower rails of the track. The central openings 1 in the insulating plates are for reception of track-supporting arms (not shown) which are no feature of the present invention.

The foregoing description applies to th-modification appearing in Figs. 4 to 6 with the exception that these figures show staples 8 rigidly interconnecting the rails la to the plates 2a and 3a.

The curved section of track illustrated in Fig. 8 differs only as to its curvature from the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this view merely serving to show how the ilexible plates lend themselves to a curvature and the use of any desired number of additional plates 9. In all described forms of the invention it is preferred to embed reinforcing fabric or other sheet material l in the plates 2, 3 and 9.

In the earlier patented form of track there occurred a material transmission of sound vibrations from the track to its supports during train operation, this being eliminated in the construction now disclosed due to the sound absorbing nature of the plates 2, 3 and 9. There is hence secured a much quieter operation of trains than in earlier practice. Another detriment to the earlier construction was swelling of the fiber insulating plates when exposed to dampness or moisture. This tended to unduly space the upper and lower rails in proximity to the swollen plates so that the rails failed occasionally to accurately align in adjoining track sections. By now forming the insulating plates of material non-permeable to water, this detriment is avoided. Derivation from the insulating plates Aof a pressure resiliently urging the wire connectors against the rails is highly desirable, as it is very diicult in following quantity production methods to assure a tight t of the wire connectors in absence of a resilient action.

The term vulcanize is used in this specification and claims to signify bonding Methods of such vulcanization are Well known, the requisites being heat and a suitable pressure. Knurling of the bonded ends of the connectors 4 affords a more perfect bond than would otherwise oe achieved.

What I claim is:

l. A monorail track comprising a pair of spaced upper and lower electrically conductive rails, and a plate of flexible, compressible, elastic, sound-deadening material vulcanized to said rails and electrically insulating them one from the other, said plate being apertured in spaced relation to both rails for engagement by a track support.

2. A monorail track comprising a pair of spaced upper and lower electrically conductive rails of an approximate U section, and an electrically insulating plate formed of sound-deadening material having its upper and lower portions straddled by said rails, both faces of said plate being vulcanized to the rails.

3. A length of monorail track comprising a pair of spaced upper and lower electrically conductive rails of an approximate U section, electrically insulating plates connecting the end portions of said rails and formed of compressible elastic material, the upper and lower edges of said rails being correspondingly spaced from the U bends of the rails and a pair of electrically conductive connectors inserted between one of said plates and said U bends and imposing compression on such plate and urged by the reaction G of said plate against the U bends, the spaces between the other of said plates and the U bends forming sockets to receive similar connectors on another length of such track.

4, A length of monorail track as set forth in claim 3, each of the first-mentioned connectors being vulcanized to the rail and plate between which such connector is inserted, whereby such plate is permanently joined to the rails, and the connectors are held permanently in place.

5. A length of monorail track comprising a pair of spaced electrically conductive rails, and exible, compressible, elastic, electrical insulation extending between and vulcanized to said rails and forming with the rails a pair of sockets at each end of said length of track, and a pair of electrically conductive connectors secured in the sockets at one end of said length and urged against said rails by the resiliency of said insulation, the sockets at the other end of said length being adapted to receive similar connectors on another length of such track.

6. A length of monorail track comprising a pair of spaced electrically conductive rails, flexible, sound-deadening eectrical insulation extending between and vulcanized to said rails, and electrically conductive connectors secured to and projecting from said rails and vulcanized to said insulation.

7. A curved length of monorail track comprising a pair of `vertically spaced electrically conductive rails, a plurality of spaced plates of sound-deadening electrical insulation interconnecting said rails, the rails being secured to the upper and lower margins of the plates, and the plates having a flexibility conforming them to the track curvature.

8. In combination with two connected sections of monorail track, each comprising a pair of spaced upper and lower electrically conductive rails and an insulating pate of elastic compressible electrical insulation, interposed between and vulcanized to said rails, of an elongated electrically conductive connector for two corresponding rails of said track sections, lapping both said rails and imposing material compression on said insulating plates, and pressed against such rails by said plates, and vulcanized to one of said plates for permanent assembly with the corresponding section, said connector being releasable from its engagement with the plate and rail of the other section to afford separation of the sections, and means for releasably connecting the other two rails of said sections and maintaining alignment of such rails.

GEORGE C. HENDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 579,158 Mengis Mar. 23, 1897 1,811,270 Henderson June 23, 1931 1,949,720 Kelley Mar. 6, 1934 2,115,135 Benbow Apr. 26, 1938 2,196,257 Dubilier Apr. 9, 1940 

